We focus primarily on the economic advantages of online business in Canada, but the Internet technology industry as a whole has a significant impact on the Canadian economy. Part of that industry is the digital platform sub-sector. The Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC) has published the 2013 Canada’s Digital Imperative: Measuring Digital Platforms’ Labour Market and Economic Impact report. The report indicates a wide range of new businesses and jobs have emerged due to the use of digital sharing platforms, such as Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram, GoToMeeting, and Netflix. It also demonstrates that digital platforms provide both direct and inadvertent economic opportunities for businesses in Canada.

The adoption of digital platforms has provided several economic benefits to all sectors, including:

Revenue generation

Cost reduction

Innovation

Enhanced collaboration

Increased efficiency

Additionally, Canadian digital platform product and service providers now claim a $1.3 billion global industry. HootSuite is a good example of a Canadian business built upon a digital platform.

We’ve designed the following infographic to provide a snapshot of the report’s findings.

How have digital platforms improved your business or created jobs? Please add your thoughts in the comments below.

There isn’t enough focus on digital & tech talent in Canada. Our talented tech residents are lured to the US and beyond because Canada doesn’t value them. Articles like this point out what a benefit tech can be & how we need to keep talent here. I’ll share ths.

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